


Summer in Uchiura

by lanaskye



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: ChikaRiko, F/F, chikayou, kanamari, rubymaru
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-08-27 12:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8401474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanaskye/pseuds/lanaskye
Summary: Kanan Matsuura and her best friend, O'Hara Mari, have the first summer together in two years. After the forming of Aqours and their subsequent rekindling, they've been spending more and more time together, full of memories of old times re-surfacing; but with this not-so-newfound bond, the two must face themselves and their feelings as well as the fear, hope, and longing of being in love with your best friend.So read on, and experience the nostalgia of a small-town girl's life in the sleepy coastal city of Uchiura during the heat of summer- and all things that come along with it!





	1. Feminine Allure & Our Secret Island

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! So first off I want to address a few things that you might be wondering about the ships and content I have in this story. There will be implied Rubymaru, Chikariko, and Chikayou, although these will be pretty subtle (for the time being). I still haven't decided between ChikaRiko and ChikaYou so bare with me, I will just try my best to portray these ships as I see them in canon!
> 
> In future chapters of the work, I'm thinking about doing a few parts dedicated to Rubymaru and/or Watanabe You and/or Hanamaru. This depends on what you guys want to see so if you enjoyed this work please let me know your opinion! Of course I also always love to hear suggestions on what you'd like to see in the foreseeable future of this fic! The rating is also subject to change if I feel the tone of the story calls for it. I don't have any plans to make this fic explicit in terms of violence or otherwise as of now but I want to have that option open if the story leads me there. Rest assured if it does, there will be a warning with what type of content it is at the beginning of the chapter!
> 
> Also, feel free to correct me if I've made any errors here. That's about it for now so thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoy!

It was a typical day in Uchiura; the cicada’s summer anthem played loudly through the greenery and the occasional sea breeze was a welcome comfort to the inhabitants of the small coastal city. Kanan Matsuura, third-year student and ocean enthusiast, was currently being blessed with one of such breezes as she stared out the window dreamily into the landscape lying around her.

The shop was empty, silent except for the noise of the fan, which labored on the highest setting in attempt to make the place cool. After all, money was tight in times like these- air conditioning had to be sacrificed. That’s exactly why, Kanan thought with a sudden sense of duty, that she had to stay here and work the shop. I mean, sure- It was usually slow, but there were customers! Its secluded location on the offshore island of Awashima gave it an air of speciality, of mystery and interest. Kanan, who was humbled just by the sight of her home, certainly understood the beauty of the place more than anyone else.

… Still, Kanan sometimes wished they had located their small shop somewhere else. Maybe if they were closer to the city, people would come more often, and they would be able to stir up a bit more business. Once, when she had spoken with her intelligent and business-savvy friend Dia, Dia had suggested plainly: “advertise it!”, which led to Kanan hand-making posters for the shop to hang up on telephone poles and the like. Of course, it was only after she had spent hours on end making them that Dia curtly informed her she had meant “show off her feminine allure” by advertise.

Naturally the idea had seemed ridiculous at the time, but now… well, the family really needed money. She felt selfish not following her friends’ advice just because of her ethics, and besides, it wasn’t like she really had another choice…

After watching the hand of the clock strike eleven without a single customer, Kanan finally gave in. She swapped her favorite blue diving suit for a tight-fitting striped swimsuit (gifted to her by a certain blonde who insisted that it would look perfect on her), scribbled a quick note to explain her absence when her grandfather came home, and last but not least grabbed a particularly glittery handmade sign. She was halfway out the door when a sudden sight stopped her clear in her steps.

Mari.

Bent over to tie a rope to the Matsuura’s dock, the blonde stood inches from a brand-new jet ski in glittering magma pink. Kanan, who was trying to figure out why exactly she was even still shocked by her friend’s constant unannounced visits, could only purse her lips and suppress a smile at the sight of her friend. Mari was dressed in a loose t-shirt (of Kanan’s, she realized with a flush to her cheeks) over a bathing suit and a lifejacket that matched the jet ski perfectly, like a cutout from one of her Italian fashion magazines.

“Kanan!” Mari exclaimed, apparently done with anchoring the jet ski. “Shin-”

Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she interrupted herself. “You’re wearing the bathing suit I bought you! Oh, wow!” And in a single bound, Mari had jumped on Kanan and was burying her face in her chest. “So cute!!”

“Hey, cut it out!” Kanan squealed out in surprise, looking around and puffing out her cheeks. “Mari! I will not hesitate to push you straight off of this dock!”

“Ooohh,” Mari chirped, wearing a mischievous grin. “But yours make me feel safe, Kanan!”

“Th-that’s beside the point! It’s not normal to grope your friends in public!”

Mari leaned in close at this as if she was sharing a secret, looking up at Kanan with ironically wide and angelic eyes like a child being faced with the prospect of candy. “Does that mean I can in private?”

“I said, knock it off!” Kanan pushed Mari away without any real force, unable to meet her gaze in embarrassment.

The other girl only giggled, leaning back against the jet ski. “So mean! You’re starting to act like Dia, you know!”

“Dia would’ve slapped you ages ago!” Kanan replied indignantly. “Hey, where is she anyways?”

“Oh, I invited her to come, but she said she was busy. Probably chasing Ruby. She and Maru ran off to the beach again today.”

“Those two are pretty close, so Dia’s probably getting suspicious,” Kanan agreed, nodding. “Oh well.”

“Honestly, I’m kind of glad it ended up being just the two of us though,” Mari smiled warmly. “Sometimes you just need some alone time with your best friend.”

Best friend. Right. The words brought a sudden heaviness to Kanan’s chest just as their previous counterparts had lightened it; a reminder that Mari, who was so close, was also so out of reach.

“Hey, don’t be sad. Come on, I’ll take you out on my new baby!” She patted the seat of the heavy piece of machinery that lay next to her on the dock.

Shaking her from her thoughts, Kanan blinked a few times and spoke. “I was actually going to go to Uchiura to advertise for the shop…”

“Oh! Well then in that case, let’s go to Uchiura!”

And just like that the two were off. In the wake of a fantastic spray of water they sped across the shore, complete only with Kanan screaming to “SLOW DOWN!” while staring at the speedometer in absolute horror and Mari’s grinning response of “I can’t hear you!” barely audible over the engine. And Mari, in all honesty, loved this part; this part where she got to feel the wind in her hair and the ocean spray on her face and, most pertinently, the way Kanan hugged her tightly, the way she couldn’t help but laugh through the fear against Mari’s skin. It was all over too soon.

Once Mari had been lectured into oblivion about the perils of speeding, they docked the jet ski and headed to the most crowded beach they could find. Mari had packed her shirt into a bag, revealing a pink and black bathing suit (which also matched her jet ski, Kanan couldn’t help but notice); and frankly, she wasn’t sure whether she should feel more or less embarrassed by that in the sparse crowd of people. To her, of course, it seemed like an entire population.

“Come to the Dolphin House!” She cheered, gathering up all her energy and love for her family business to channel it into the advertisement. No one seemed to notice.

“No, no, no!” Mari cried out in English. “Kanan, you’re doing it all wrong!”

“Huh?” Kanan’s eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. “What do you mean?”

Mari huffed, moving so she was back to back with her friend and putting on a dazzling smile. “Do you love Uchiura as much as I do~? If so, come see the beautiful fish in action and support our local businesses at the Matsuura family Dolphin House!” The cheer was loud and energetic enough to catch the attention of the families gathered, and thus impressed a wide-eyed Kanan. Mari was always good at being the center of attention.

Basking in the newfound limelight, Mari moved her arms so that she was gesturing towards Kanan like a display in a case. “The lovely and beautiful Matsuura Kanan will help you live an ocean dream~! Come to see the exquisite sea life at Dolphin House on Awashima island and you’ll get to spend time with this real-life mermaid!” An excited murmur moved through the crowd and Kanan was finding that her face was getting increasingly red. “It’s just like being an idol, Kanan!” Mari whispered happily. “Come on, it’s your turn!”

Kanan took a deep breath, finding comfort in her friend’s words. Right... it’s just like being an idol.

“We’d love to host you at the mysterious and secluded Dolphin House on Awashima Island, home to a unique and exotic display of fish, coral, and the glory of our ocean! I’ll work extra hard to bring a smile to your face!”

Mari gushed, having to restrain herself from hugging Kanan tightly and instead putting her energy into cheering. About an hour passed like this, with the task becoming easier after adjusting to the attention, before the girls decided they couldn’t leave the shop just to her grandfather anymore and phoned home.

“Grandpa?” Kanan spoke warmly. “Is everything okay back at the shop?” “Good afternoon, Kanan! And a good afternoon it is indeed... I’ve had three different groups of customers since I got home.”

“Oh, really?” A smile tugged at her lips. “Wow, that’s great! I’ll come home right away then!”

Her grandpa chuckled. “You think I don’t know who is responsible for the sudden popularity? I can handle the shop myself, Kanan. You should take a break for the day.”

“But...” Kanan trailed off. “The customers...” “Like I said, I can handle it. And even if I can’t, I can book them reservations... You deserve a break.”

Mari, who had been listening in intently, suddenly grabbed the phone from Kanan’s hands before she could argue. “Hey, Mr. Matsuura! It’s me, Mari!”

“Hohoho, hello Mari. Make sure Kanan follows directions and takes the day to relax, alright?”

“Yessir! I’ll see to it that she has the best day ever! Take care!” Mari quickly hung up before Kanan could steal the phone back and grinned devilishly. “Come on! I’m about to give you the best day you’ve ever had!”

-

Soon the pair were back on Mari's jet ski, and once she promised to go at a _somewhat_ decent speed, they took off into the dazzling expanse of sea. Kanan actually found herself growing to love the experience of riding it now that the initial fear had worn off; as long as Mari didn't go too far from shore, they would be fine. At first, she looked around her in sheer awe at the majesty of Uchiura: the glistening electric blue of the waters, the sparkling green countryside, the neverending glistening horizon... but then she surprised herself.

Perhaps it was the wind in her hair, or the beautiful figure of Mt. Fuji getting smaller behind them, or the way that Mari was so firm and confident in her driving, but she began to stop paying attention to what was going on and start going into another world. Her eyes drifted shut, leaving her to focus in full contentedness the warmth of Mari's skin as she hugged her from behind. The sun warmed her skin like a blanket.

She had always taken great joy in appreciating nature- she could spend hours just sitting outside looking, listening,  _experiencing_ it. And yet now, she found herself surprisingly disregarding the beautiful landscape in favor of focusing on the warmth and comfort Mari projected onto her.

It was such that without realizing it, the two drove for hours on end simply enjoying each other and their surroundings. Dusk came more quickly than they would have liked. Unfortunately, the absence of the sun shook Kanan from the place of total warmth and security she had previously been in- she was still contented from the afterglow, but consciousness seeped into the dreamlike state that had enraptured her and reminded her of reality. Lifting her head from where it had been resting on Mari's shoulder, she looked around slowly.

And then it dawned on her.

Uchiura was nowhere in sight.

"Mari." She grabbed Mari's shoulder. "Where are we?"

"Huh?" Mari looked up suddenly and Kanan realized that she, too, had been enamored by the sleepy joy of simply driving with nowhere to go. "Oh-uh-"

The engine spurred to a stop as Mari looked around her quickly. "Oh."

Kanan swallowed, examining her surroundings, though her mind was elsewhere. What was happening to her..?

Though she knew cerebrally that she was hours out at sea with no idea of even what direction home was in during the first signs of sunset, she was not at all worried or scared. Strangely, she felt no fear at all. In fact... was she... glad?

"Mari, what will we do?"

The engine purred back to life at Mari's will. "We have to keep driving... See that over there? I think that's Uchiura." She gestured with her free hand towards the shadow of what must be land, the other resting on the jet ski's handle. "Hold on tight, Kanan. If we don't want to be out at night I'm going to have to go a bit fast."

Kanan dreaded Mari's definition of fast, but could come up with no argument and so simply tightened her grip around her friend. "Alright... let's go."

With a roar the jet ski sped into life and skipped across the water. Kanan was scared at first, of course, but gradually began to let the exhilaration overtake her as the speed became less and less frightening, and eventually even she couldn't help but laugh with happiness, grinning wildly and holding on to Mari just as tightly as before.

They reached the land just as the sun was setting, but both girls realized instantly that there was no way it was Uchiura. Instead, they seemed to have stumbled upon some sort of island- and from the looks of it, it was very small and devoid of settlement.

"I guess we have to stay here, at least for tonight," Kanan mused, once again marveling at that feeling bubbling up within her. Was she that glad to be able to spend time with Mari? To not have to say goodbye for the night?

"Yeah. There's no way we could make it home now even if we knew what direction to go in."

And so it was settled. They anchored the jet ski, and after Mari insisted upon bringing her backpack from the jet ski's compartment, swam through the shallow water up to the coast (which proved to be a bit difficult for poor Mari, whose hands were occupied with keeping the backpack dry and above water). Walking through the forested island in hopes to find a clearing to rest in, they talked about various random things- mostly Aqours, Love Live, and their feelings about the whole experience. Kanan was surprised to find that Mari also thought herself unfit to be a school idol, and promptly informed her that Mari had all the traits of a good idol, to which Mari responded that she thought the same of Kanan. To hear that someone, someone like Mari no less, thought so highly of her was incredible and in all honesty it felt unbelievably comforting to have someone who understood and believed in her like Mari did.

The sound of rushing water shook them out of their conversation and the two fell silent in order to hear better, walking towards the noise with curiosity, before stumbling upon what was one of the most beautiful sights Kanan had ever beheld.

She gasped slightly, staring at the rushing waterfall which was orange in the sunset's glow. Palm leaves and plant life grew in an emerald wall around the waterfall and its pool; everything was bathed in dusk's golden ichor, all shadow and contour, like the stuff of dreams. It left her speechless.

Once they had absorbed the beauty of the waterfall, the tranquility, Mari was the first to speak.

"Shiny..."

"It really is, isn't it?"

Mari paused, suddenly reaching to grab Kanan's hand. "Come on... let's go!"

Flushing with surprise, pleasure and embarrassment, she followed Mari over to the pool and stepped back in surprise when Mari simply jumped in. 

All was still for a moment. Then, Mari resurfaced and looked at Kanan with a huge grin. "It's hot! Look!"

Sure enough, steam was rising from the spring, previously unnoticed in the evening's veil. Kanan laughed, and finding Mari's smile contagious, jumped in to surface beside her. 

"Oh wow," She whispered, grinning at the contented Mari. "This is actually... really nice."

"I know," Mari hummed. "Hey... Can I say something crazy?"

"Of course. It's me, Mari."

"I'm actually kind of glad we got lost," The blonde admitted, closing her eyes and resting up against the edge of the pool. "I mean... we found this place, right?"

Kanan's eyes widened and then she chuckled. "So... you feel that way too?"

Mari looked over at Kanan, and in that moment, she had never seen anyone so beautiful. Her fair skin glowed in the orange sun, amethyst eyes twinkling with more shine than the ocean itself, hair like shimmering navy blue silk dripping wet and tied up into her signature ponytail... it was enough to make Mari go numb. She watched a drop of water glisten down Kanan's cheek and dance over her cherry-blossom lips and found herself wishing... wishing she could feel those lips against her finger, against her own, just once...

And then she realized that the drop was not from the spring. It was from her eyes.

"Kanan," she gasped, her voice tender with compassion as she quickly drew close to her friend. "What's wrong?"

Kanan simply smiled softly and shook her head, lifting her gaze to meet Mari's and looking at her with bright, shining eyes. "I'm... I'm just so happy.."

As Kanan let out a gentle, content laugh, Mari drew her into a hug and found tears stinging at her own eyes.

"I thought... I had lost you forever... That I had to... lose you..." She gripped her ever more tightly, as if she were afraid Mari would disappear if she let go. "I thought I had to leave you so that you could live a good life... You have so much ahead of you, Mari..."

"Kanan." Mari said firmly, biting her lip to keep from crying. "I don't want any of those things. I don't want anything if it's not you."

And just like that, Kanan felt warmth build up inside her and overflow, and she couldn't have held her more tightly if they were still speeding on the jet ski. Laughter broke through her tears, the kind that comes from overwhelming happiness; and she laughed and cried until she had nothing left. Nothing except warmth, and fullness, and most importantly, _Mari_. 

And just like that, together they fell asleep in the hot spring, never wanting to let go of one another.


	2. Chapter 2

   Three days later, Kanan had finished taking stock of the air tanks just as the sun disappeared from the sky. Her chest thrummed with excitement and nervousness as she thought about what was in store for her: today, she would be joining Mari at a party hosted by and at the O'Hara family hotel. Why exactly was she so nervous? Kanan liked to think it was the prospect of such a very large crowd of very important people, from all reaches of the world here just to pursue business with the O'Haras. However, in truth, it more had to do with Mari.

   In time, she had forgotten the flutter of her heart, lost deep within the calm (if not somewhat melancholy) life she led last year. By then she was familiar with averting the loneliness that comes with losing someone important to you- the loneliness, and occasionally, on the nights where twilight came earlier than usual and it seemed the stars had been plucked from the sky, the guilt. Those she could deal with. But the pounding of her heart at the mere mention of Mari's name? The way breath was stolen from her lungs at the sight of Mari performing in Aqours' stage costume? The way her cheeks heated with the most innocent of Mari's touches? These were all unfamiliar demons to Kanan. So when Mari was told to choose one person to take to this party, and she chose Kanan...

   Not to say that it _meant_ anything. But in truth, Kanan half-expected Mari to pick Dia instead, since after all, what did Kanan have that Dia didn't? Not money, beauty, femininity, strength, charm or determination. Dia certainly didn't make mistakes that would lead Mari to fly away for a year, or disband the original Aqours, and she was a model friend and sister. Yet still, Mari chose Kanan. The thought made her go weak in the knees for several reasons.

   Kanan headed back to her room and stared uncertainly at the dress laid out on the bed. It was beautiful and expensive, and Mari had not only chosen but bought it for her (a shopping trip that included a few extremely embarrassing changing-room moments, of course), but she still hesitated before putting it on. It was almost _too_ beautiful and expensive; like putting it on her own skin would be an insult to the dress, somehow, which probably cost more money than Kanan's family's net worth. Still, she slid it on... eventually.

  Two hours later, she headed downstairs to meet Mari and found her conversing with her grandfather in the lobby. She smiled slightly at the sound of her voice while coming down the steps. Of course Mari would already be in a conversation while Kanan got ready; she was full of energy and happiness that addicted people and enticed them, even her introverted grandfather.

   "Kanan!" Mari squealed, interrupting herself- apparently she'd been keeping one eye on the door, waiting for Kanan to make her grand entrance. Her eyes widened and glittered as soon as she caught sight of her, and for once in her life, Mari was at a loss for words.

  Kanan filled out the indigo dress perfectly; it was bordering on the short side for what was appropriate for a semi-formal occasion, but fit the requirements nonetheless... and _damn,_ did she look good. It was tight in all the right places, though a semi-sheer white shawl draped around her back and arms kept the elegance and modesty of the outfit in balance, and drew attention her long legs. The color made her eyes seem brighter than usual and flattered her skintone. Mari could barely believe what she was seeing.

  " _Shiny_ ," She whispered inaudibly, more out of habit than anything else. Kanan shifted nervously. "Oh god. Does it look bad?'

  "N-n-no!" Mari exclaimed, rushing over to Kanan. "Oh my GOD! You look amazing!" 

  Kanan's face deepened about six shades of red as Mari leaned in and placed her hand in Kanan's hair. "W-what...?" Then, slim fingers found the hairtie holding her ponytail in place, and pulled it out quickly. Mari brushed through the locks with her hand, adjusting her hair so it framed her face perfectly. "There," she whispered, grinning wickedly. "Now it's perfect."

  Kanan, too flustered to protest or even react at all, simply stared for a moment before regaining her composure. "H-hey!"

 "It looks good!" Mari promised, grabbing her hand. "Now let's go, or we'll be late!"

-

   Three hours later, Kanan stood staring into her reflection in the bathroom mirror, splashing cool water on her face. Okay. Alright. Everything is okay. So what if Mari had guys practically begging to dance with her? So what if she had men buying her drinks, flirting with her nonstop? Of course they would, she was beautiful, rich, charming... and frankly, Kanan should be happy for her. What kind of best friend was she?

Her phone suddenly stole her attention, vibrating in her purse. A shaking hand fumbled for it and finally tapped the "accept call" button.

"Hello?" 

Dia's voice filled the other line. "Kanan?"

"Oh, Dia," Kanan said, taking a deep breath. "What's going on?"

"How's the party going?" Dia asked, her voice tinged slightly with concern. "You don't sound so well."

"Oh, I'm fine. Just... um...." She bit her lip, considering her options. Next to Mari, Dia and Chika were her closest friends, and there was no way she could talk about this stuff with Chika (not when Chika had her own issues going on).  Dia was level-headed and honest. She should just come clean.

"Dia," Kanan said shakily, "I don't know what's wrong with me. Mari's got all these guys at her heels, and I just... I feel so... mad!"

Silence on the line, to the point where Kanan thought maybe she had accidentally hung up. Then, finally, Dia spoke. "God, I- I can't believe I have to tell you this. You're jealous, Kanan."

Kanan's eyes widened. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. "What..? What do you mean...?"

"Of course it's upsetting that these guys are practically proposing to her out there. You want them to be paying attention to you, not her!"

_Oh._

Kanan took a breath, smiled, laughed. Of course. That was why she was feeling so upset! Any other reason would simply be ridiculous. "... Yeah," Kanan said, shaking her head. "Of course. Thanks, Dia."

"Naturally," Dia said casually. "Anyways, I called you to remind you to take care of Mari. She's not the most... _careful_ girl in the world, so just... watch out for her, okay? I was feeling a bit nervous just thinking about what could happen to her, this being her first time to go to these things without her father watching over her."

"Right," Kanan agreed. "Okay. Thanks for the advice, Dia. I'll keep an eye on her."

Once Kanan had gathered herself, she walked back into the party and searched the room for Mari. Face after face passed before her, to the point where she was trudging through the crowds and not-so-skillfully deflecting the people that prompted her, yet the blonde was nowhere to be found. Her stomach twisted into knots. 

"Mari? Mari, come on, this isn't funny..."

Nothing. Surely she must be around here somewhere, right...?  
  
Her eye caught a door to her left. Maybe...

Kanan maneuvered through the crowd until she was finally able to open the door, and sure enough, there she was lying on one of the couches of the back parlor room- fast asleep.

"What the-" Kanan rushed towards her. "Mari!"

No response. Just as she was trying to fathom how exactly this happened, a door opposite her opened, different from the one she had entered through. One of the men Kanan recognized as a member of Mari's little fan club was standing in the doorway frozen.

"Can I... help you?" Kanan asked, staring at the now grey-faced man. She caught his gaze flicker to Mari's empty glass on the table next to her.  "U-uh... No?"

Kanan's mind was reeling. Surely...surely not, right? He was just passing through. So why the suspicious reaction?

Then she noticed- he'd tossed his suit jacket on the couch just behind Mari, and had undone the first few buttons on his shirt (in fact, his paralyzed hand still sat halted on the next button down). A coincidence, surely. After all, it was summer, and it was warm outside.

"Um... You're Mari's... friend?" He stuttered, slowly backing away through the doorway. Then, before she could respond, he bolted away just like that.

Oh _god._ Kanan buried her head in her hands, realization striking her. Mari wasn't asleep- she was drugged. That drink he'd bought her was laced with something; who knows what he would've done to her had Kanan not stepped in when she did. Thank god Dia had called, otherwise she would've been so wrapped up in her own petty problems to realize that Mari was probably about to get _raped_ , and it would have been under her watch. She groaned. Oh god, she was such an idiot. If something had happened to Mari... sweet, precious ray of sunshine Mari...

"Time to go," She decided, delicately picking Mari up and carrying her out the door the guy had bolted from up to the nearest elevator. She knew Mari's suite by heart now; it was more muscle memory than thought as she pressed the "7" button on the elevator's keypad. "Oh Mari," She sighed (though in fact it was more to herself). "I'm so sorry. I'm so selfish."

Mari snored quietly in response, Kanan's eyes glistening as she watched Mari's innocent sleeping face. "I'm so, so sorry."

-

Once Mari was situated under the covers in her luxurious king-size bed, Kanan had a decision to make. She knew she needed to go home but somehow she just didn't feel right leaving her up here, to wake up alone and confused with more questions than answers; and yet still, was it okay to just... stay the night like that? Of course Mari would say yes if she asked, but the thing was, she _didn't_ ask. Was that a self-invitation? 

Before Kanan could contemplate any further, she was distracted by a sudden hand reaching out and grabbing her shawl.

"Kanan," Mari mumbled, blinking sleepily as she pulled her close. "What happened?"

Kanan steadied her breathing, exhaling sharply. "Oh, you're up."

"Did I fall asleep...?"

"Not exactly... I think you were drugged."

There was a pause as Mari registered this, still drowsy. "W... what?"

"I... found you lying unconscious next to an empty glass, and some guy showed up a few minutes later."

Mari sighed, sitting up and then immediately falling the opposite direction onto Kanan's chest. She swallowed, registering this. "...Kanan..."

"I-" Kanan began, starting to apologize, but stopping abruptly when she felt Mari's head bury into her chest. "H-hey!"

Mari didn't respond, and Kanan recalled something Mari had said earlier- something long dismissed, or forgotten, buried in the depths of her mind. "Yours make me feel safe," she had said.

She almost laughed at the absurdity of it, and at the time, she'd thought it ridiculous. Now, she wondered with a slight smile if that were actually true. Good to know she could be of some use, even if it is just for her chest. Apparently that's all she has to offer to Mari.

"Alright. I'm- just go back to sleep," Kanan whispered.

"Wait." Mari didn't bother to lift her head as she spoke. "Stay with me."

Kanan considered this. Both warmth and guilt rushed through her veins. Not only was it the least she could do... She wanted to. Frankly, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Mari, even if she wasn't the best person for her.

And something in Mari sensed what Kanan was thinking: that it was somehow her fault, that this was just the next in the series of "things Kanan does that make Mari's life hard". The thought scared her- no, horrified her. She wanted Kanan to know that it _wasn't_ her fault, and that she _was_ deserving of Mari, and that she  _didn't_  make life hard (which was ridiculous considering that, in fact, she was the best thing to ever happen to her). Mari reached over and grabbed her hand.

"Please," she whispered. "I need you."

 


End file.
